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Tuesday, December 16, 2014

This year, the beginning of Hanukkah gives us an opportunity to feature a truly multicultural craft form. We first came across African Folklore Embroidery when we spotted this intriguing Judaic African Collage at a 2014 quilt show. The designs and quilt are by artist Leora Raikin, who was born in South Africa and has lived in California for more than 15 years;
she was taught this creative needlecraft by her mother.

A Window of Many Flowers by Christine McCollum, quilted by Kathy Harris

The African Folklore Panels were hand embroidered by Christine McCollum, who used only two types of stitches: chain stitch and French knots. A collection of light and dark batiks join and frame the blocks in a braid pattern [Braid in a Day by Eleanor Burns.] This quilt was exhibited at the 2014 Tucson Quilters' Guild show. You can see Christine's beautiful embroidery in the closeup photos below.

The extreme contrasts of brightly colored threads against the black
fabric make these flowers both striking and beautiful.